Navigation through historical stored interactions associated with a multi-user view

ABSTRACT

An illustrative embodiment provides a computer-implemented process for navigation through historical stored interactions associated with a multi-user view that receives a previously saved multi-user view, wherein the multi-user view comprises a set of artifact attributes, receives an identified filter from a user, and presents a filtered view to the user. The process further determines whether to amend the filtered view, and responsive to a determination to amend the filtered view, generates an amended view from the filtered view, and responsive to a determination to save the amended view, saves the amended view as one of a new view or an updated view.

BACKGROUND

The construction of a view in a software application on a dataprocessing system by a user often involves many discrete steps. Complexviews constructed by expert users can often result in a state whichcould take hundreds of gestures to recreate. The gestures representvarious interaction including additions, deletions, and modificationsrequired to produce the end result view.

In a business intelligence application, users can create and collaborateon a view which contains artifacts within the system, such as reports,charts and queries, as well as artifacts which are external to thesystem, such as web pages and really simple syndication (RSS) feeds.Different users can contribute to and modify content of the view. Theusers can also add metadata, such as report annotations or comments,which enable the users to further explain the content or communicatewith other users

The concept of an undo stack exists in software applications, so thatthe current user can remove, or undo, a few of the previous stepsprocessed should the steps prove to be undesirable. Some applicationswill even save this undo stack after the user's session has endedenabling the user to return to the user's view to roll the view backthrough a sequence of a few steps. The intermediary states leading tothe end result are often lost when the final view of an object is saved.Additionally, in a collaborative software application, multiple userscan contribute to the same view, adding and modifying elements, metadataand other artifacts. These contributions can happen in any sequence andbe spread across a number of users.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented process fornavigation through historical stored interactions associated with amulti-user view, the computer-implemented process receiving a previouslysaved multi-user view, wherein the multi-user view comprises a set ofartifact attributes, receiving an identified filter from a user,presenting a filtered view to the user, determining whether to amend thefiltered view, responsive to a determination to amend the filtered view,generating an amended view from the filtered view, and responsive to adetermination to save the amended view, saving the amended view as oneof a new view or an updated view.

According to another embodiment, a computer program product fornavigation through historical stored interactions associated with amulti-user view is presented. The computer program product comprises acomputer recordable-type media containing computer executable programcode stored thereon. The computer executable program code comprisescomputer executable program code for receiving a previously savedmulti-user view, wherein the multi-user view comprises a set of artifactattributes, computer executable program code for receiving an identifiedfilter from a user, computer executable program code for presenting afiltered view to the user, computer executable program code fordetermining whether to amend the filtered view, computer executableprogram code responsive to a determination to amend the filtered view,for generating an amended view from the filtered view, and computerexecutable program code responsive to a determination to save theamended view, for saving the amended view as one of a new view or anupdated view.

According to another embodiment, an apparatus for navigation throughhistorical stored interactions associated with a multi-user view ispresented. The apparatus comprises a communications fabric, a memoryconnected to the communications fabric, wherein the memory containscomputer executable program code, a communications unit connected to thecommunications fabric, an input/output unit connected to thecommunications fabric, a display connected to the communications fabric,and a processor unit connected to the communications fabric. Theprocessor unit executes the computer executable program code to directthe apparatus to receive a previously saved multi-user view, wherein themulti-user view comprises a set of artifact attributes, receive anidentified filter from a user, present a filtered view to the user,determine whether to amend the filtered view, responsive to adetermination to amend the filtered view, generate an amended view fromthe filtered view, responsive to a determination to save the amendedview, save the amended view as one of a new view or an updated view.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is nowmade to the following brief description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like referencenumerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary data processing systemoperable for various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a multi-user view system that may beimplemented within the data processing system of FIG. 1, in accordancewith various embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a view process used within the multi-user viewsystem of FIG. 2, in accordance with various embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a view amendment process used in the viewprocess of FIG. 3, in accordance with various embodiments of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although an illustrative implementation of one or more embodiments isprovided below, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be implementedusing any number of techniques. This disclosure should in no way belimited to the illustrative implementations, drawings, and techniquesillustrated below, including the exemplary designs and implementationsillustrated and described herein, but may be modified within the scopeof the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present disclosuremay be embodied as a system, method or computer program product.Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirelyhardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodimentcombining software and hardware aspects that may all generally bereferred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore,the present invention may take the form of a computer program producttangibly embodied in any medium of expression with computer usableprogram code embodied in the medium.

Any combination of one or more computer usable or computer readablemedium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be acomputer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. Acomputer readable storage medium may be, for example but not limited to,an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combinationof the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of thecomputer readable storage medium would include the following: anelectrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computerdiskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flashmemory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document,a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that cancontain, or store a program for use by or in connection with andinstruction execution system, apparatus or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination ofthe foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations of the presentdisclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programminglanguages, including an object oriented programming language such asJava™, Smalltalk, C++, or the like and conventional proceduralprogramming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similarprogramming languages. Java and all Java-based trademarks and logos aretrademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the United States, othercountries or both. The program code may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

The present disclosure is described below with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus, systems, andcomputer program products according to embodiments of the invention. Itwill be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/orblock diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions.

These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of ageneral purpose computer, special purpose computer, or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such thatthe instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer orother programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also bestored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instruction meanswhich implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer orother programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series ofoperational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmableapparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/actsspecified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

Turning now to FIG. 1 a block diagram of an exemplary data processingsystem operable for various embodiments of the disclosure is presented.In this illustrative example, data processing system 100 includescommunications fabric 102, which provides communications betweenprocessor unit 104, memory 106, persistent storage 108, communicationsunit 110, input/output (I/O) unit 112, and display 114.

Processor unit 104 serves to execute instructions for software that maybe loaded into memory 106. Processor unit 104 may be a set of one ormore processors or may be a multi-processor core, depending on theparticular implementation. Further, processor unit 104 may beimplemented using one or more heterogeneous processor systems in which amain processor is present with secondary processors on a single chip. Asanother illustrative example, processor unit 104 may be a symmetricmulti-processor system containing multiple processors of the same type.

Memory 106 and persistent storage 108 are examples of storage devices116. A storage device is any piece of hardware that is capable ofstoring information, such as, for example without limitation, data,program code in functional form, and/or other suitable informationeither on a temporary basis and/or a permanent basis. Memory 106, inthese examples, may be, for example, a random access memory or any othersuitable volatile or non-volatile storage device. Persistent storage 108may take various forms depending on the particular implementation. Forexample, persistent storage 108 may contain one or more components ordevices. For example, persistent storage 108 may be a hard drive, aflash memory, a rewritable optical disk, a rewritable magnetic tape, orsome combination of the above. The media used by persistent storage 108also may be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be usedfor persistent storage 108.

Communications unit 110, in these examples, provides for communicationswith other data processing systems or devices. In these examples,communications unit 110 is a network interface card. Communications unit110 may provide communications through the use of either or bothphysical and wireless communications links.

Input/output unit 112 allows for input and output of data with otherdevices that may be connected to data processing system 100. Forexample, input/output unit 112 may provide a connection for user inputthrough a keyboard, a mouse, and/or some other suitable input device.Further, input/output unit 112 may send output to a printer. Display 114provides a mechanism to display information to a user.

Instructions for the operating system, applications and/or programs maybe located in storage devices 116, which are in communication withprocessor unit 104 through communications fabric 102. In theseillustrative examples the instructions are in a functional form onpersistent storage 108. These instructions may be loaded into memory 106for execution by processor unit 104. The processes of the differentembodiments may be performed by processor unit 104 usingcomputer-implemented instructions, which may be located in a memory,such as memory 106.

These instructions are referred to as program code, computer usableprogram code, or computer readable program code that may be read andexecuted by a processor in processor unit 104. The program code in thedifferent embodiments may be embodied on different physical or tangiblecomputer readable media, such as memory 106 or persistent storage 108.

Program code 118 is located in a functional form on computer readablemedia 120 that is selectively removable and may be loaded onto ortransferred to data processing system 100 for execution by processorunit 104. Program code 118 and computer readable media 120 form computerprogram product 122 in these examples. In one example, computer readablemedia 120 may be in a tangible form, such as, for example, an optical ormagnetic disc that is inserted or placed into a drive or other devicethat is part of persistent storage 108 for transfer onto a storagedevice, such as a hard drive that is part of persistent storage 108. Ina tangible form, computer readable media 120 also may take the form of apersistent storage, such as a hard drive, a thumb drive, or a flashmemory that is connected to data processing system 100. The tangibleform of computer readable media 120 is also referred to as computerrecordable storage media. In some instances, computer readable media 120may not be removable.

Alternatively, program code 118 may be transferred to data processingsystem 100 from computer readable media 120 through a communicationslink to communications unit 110 and/or through a connection toinput/output unit 112. The communications link and/or the connection maybe physical or wireless in the illustrative examples. The computerreadable media also may take the form of non-tangible media, such ascommunications links or wireless transmissions containing the programcode.

In some illustrative embodiments, program code 118 may be downloadedover a network to persistent storage 108 from another device or dataprocessing system for use within data processing system 100. Forinstance, program code stored in a computer readable storage medium in aserver data processing system may be downloaded over a network from theserver to data processing system 100. The data processing systemproviding program code 118 may be a server computer, a client computer,or some other device capable of storing and transmitting program code118.

The different components illustrated for data processing system 100 arenot meant to provide architectural limitations to the manner in whichdifferent embodiments may be implemented. The different illustrativeembodiments may be implemented in a data processing system includingcomponents in addition to or in place of those illustrated for dataprocessing system 100. Other components shown in FIG. 1 can be variedfrom the illustrative examples shown. The different embodiments may beimplemented using any hardware device or system capable of executingprogram code. As one example, the data processing system may includeorganic components integrated with inorganic components and/or may becomprised entirely of organic components excluding a human being. Forexample, a storage device may be comprised of an organic semiconductor.

As another example, a storage device in data processing system 100 maybe any hardware apparatus that may store data. Memory 106, persistentstorage 108 and computer readable media 120 are examples of storagedevices in a tangible form.

In another example, a bus system may be used to implement communicationsfabric 102 and may be comprised of one or more buses, such as a systembus or an input/output bus. Of course, the bus system may be implementedusing any suitable type of architecture that provides for a transfer ofdata between different components or devices attached to the bus system.Additionally, a communications unit may include one or more devices usedto transmit and receive data, such as a modem or a network adapter.Further, a memory may be, for example, memory 106 or a cache such asfound in an interface and memory controller hub that may be present incommunications fabric 102. Using data processing system 100 of FIG. 1 asan example, processor unit 104 receives a previously saved multi-userview through communications unit 110 or from storage devices 116. Themulti-user view comprises a set of artifact attributes. Processor unit104 further receives an identified filter from a user, through display114 or storage devices 116 and presents a filtered view to the userusing display 114. Processor unit 104 further determines whether toamend the filtered view, and responsive to a determination to amend thefiltered view, generates an amended view from the filtered view, andresponsive to a determination to save the amended view, saves theamended view as one of a new view or an updated view using storagedevices 116.

Processor unit 104 further executes instructions stored in memory 106 orfrom persistent storage 108. Instructions may further be obtainedthrough communications unit 110, or through input/output unit 112 in theform of program code 118. Processor unit 104 executes program code 118to perform the sequence of operations just described.

In an alternative embodiment, program code 118 containing thecomputer-implemented method may be stored within computer readable media120 as computer program product 122. In another illustrative embodiment,the process for navigation through historical stored interactionsassociated with a multi-user view may be implemented in an apparatuscomprising a communications fabric, a memory connected to thecommunications fabric, wherein the memory contains computer executableprogram code, a communications unit connected to the communicationsfabric, an input/output unit connected to the communications fabric, adisplay connected to the communications fabric, and a processor unitconnected to the communications fabric. The processor unit of theapparatus executes the computer executable program code to direct theapparatus to perform the process.

With reference to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a multi-user view systemthat may be implemented within the data processing system of FIG. 1, inaccordance with various embodiments of the disclosure is presented.Multi-user view system 200 is an example using one illustrativeembodiment.

Multi-user view system 200 comprises a number of components including amulti-user viewer 202 capable of receiving view content 204, viewmetadata 206, view request 208 and creating view 222 as output.Multi-user viewer 202 further comprises artifact history repository 210,artifact attributes 212, artifact filters 214, security 216, viewbuilder 218 and navigation interface 220. The components of multi-userview system 200 cooperatively process requests to present a view to arequesting user of a set of users.

Multi-user view system 200 is directed toward persisted undo stacktechnologies. In some embodiments, the history of a view, in the form ofartifact history repository 210, is associated with the object inquestion. Since multiple users can contribute to the construction of theview, each artifact is stored in such a way as to identify the userassociated with the artifact. Identification of the user enables a viewto be filtered to only include contributions from certain users. Useridentification is one of the attributes of artifact attributes 212maintained within artifact history repository 210. Artifact attributes212 is a set of artifact attributes wherein the set comprises one ormore attributes of an artifact. Attributes describe properties orbehavior of an artifact.

Multi-user view system 200 provides a capability to have the history ofthe view saved with the view. Artifact history repository 210 provides acapability to record each intermediary step and treat the steps as acontinuum rather than just an unimportant step on the way to a finalproduct.

Artifact filters 214 are intelligently applied, because gestures appliedby other users on an item that is filtered out may be invalidated.Additionally, different gestures and objects may have certain securityrestrictions which may mean that either the gesture cannot be viewed bythe current user or cannot be filtered, or removed, as it wouldinvalidate some gestures which are not displayed due to theserestrictions.

Filter criteria of artifact filters 214 typically includes a number offiltration capabilities including filter by object, by type of object,by time of creation or change by user and by context. Associated withfiltering is a determination of the effect of filtering with regard toprecedence or dependence within artifacts. For example, when a filter isapplied to remove all of a specific user's changes the removal of theblock of updates may cause other changes due to precedence or dependenceof an artifact removal. When such precedence or dependence issues arisean attempt to resolve is made or issues an error notification. Forexample, when block A is identified for removal during filtering, butblock B has a dependency on block A the dependency needs to be resolvedor an error condition is raised.

Artifact filters 214 enable filtering of the view history by context orartifact type. A view is essentially a composite of all its artifactsand gestures built up over time in a particular defined sequence. Thefiltering of certain artifact or gesture types must be appliedintelligently as it may invalidate some of the later items in the timeline. When the filtering causes invalidation that cannot be avoided theprocess is stopped and an error condition is raised to the requester.

The “amended view” could be an entirely new view that did not existprior to amendment. Filtering is not limited to removing attributes froman artifact. Filtering includes applying filters in such a way that aview which has never existed in the construction history of that viewcan be created. For example, applying a filter to an existing view toonly include changes made by a type of user may provide a new and uniqueperspective not previously seen. The filter can be applied as a lens tofocus on particular attributes and combinations of attributes ratherthan a restrictive use only to eliminate attributes.

Security 216 provides a capability to determine whether a user ispermitted to rollback or perform an action related to a view or event tohave the view presented. Some artifacts associated with a view maytherefore be locked to prevent change. In addition, some artifacts maynot even be presented to some users due to security restrictions. Inthis case, certain artifact filters 214 may be removed from the view forthat particular user.

The artifacts included in the view also occur on a certain time line.For example, one user's change may build on another user's change from afew minutes ago. Navigation interface 220 provides a capability tonavigate artifact history repository 210. The capability requiresartifact attributes 212 to be stored including a time aware attribute.Navigation interface 220 provides a capability to go “back in time” to aprevious iteration of the view either in sequencing through iterationsor directly to a point.

Navigation interface 220 also provides a capability to prompt a user forselection of a filter from a set of filters of artifact filters 214. Forexample, navigation interface 220 may present a slider having a rangerepresentative of a time line for a series of view gestures. A slidertype control can be presented to navigate the history of the objectalong the time axis. A gesture to move the indicator backwards andforwards along the slider adds/removes/modifies artifacts to show thehistory of the view.

In another example, navigation interface 220 may present a series oflists of filter options for a user to select. In another example,navigation selection may be specified programmatically to cause a viewto be built from a previously saved multi-user view.

View builder 218 provides a capability to build view 222 as a new viewfrom a filtered view. Whether that filtering has been accomplished bygoing back in time, focusing on the contributions of a particular useror looking at a set of gestures or objects, the filtered results can beused as the starting point for an entirely new view. This view can, butnot necessarily, replace the original view. The generated view can beviewed temporarily or viewed and saved in place as a replacement of theoriginal view or as an additional new view.

Multi-user view system 200 therefore provides a capability to storeincremental changes associated with a view to allow selectivepresentation and composition in the form of a re-view. In addition amodified view may be saved in place of the original view or as acompletely new view. Incremental changes can be the result of a useraction or be generated by the system. For example, there may be somecomplex user gestures which actually result in the system storing a setof incremental changes representing the different steps actuallyinvoked. In another example, there may be an external schedulingmechanism which updates the data in the view on a regular basis, inwhich case the updates would need to be preserved as well.

A user presented with a multi-user view could invoke a navigationalcontrol which allows the user to filter out contributions of anotherspecified user. The filtering process can be rather complex but alsoneeds to be aware of the order in which the operations were performed.Multi-user view system 200 stores the artifacts as time aware, useraware and context aware, allowing dependent or sequential gestures to beperformed and the filtering to evaluate the suitability of any stepgiven that some of the previous steps may have been filtered out. Apreviously saved multi-user view includes views saved by the system,including intermediary steps and not just the views explicitly saved bythe user.

There are a few other ways to navigate the view. One is to allow thefiltering out of certain artifact types. For example, all annotationscould be removed to produce an amended view. In another example, a focuson gestures and artifacts which only affect a particular set of objectsmay be performed. For example, a view may have only one object which isof interest to a particular user. In this example, gestures allow theother parts of the view to be filtered out and, should the user desireto do so, allow the construction of a new view to be built from thatpoint forward.

Artifact filters 214 when applied to a view having artifact historyrepository 210 provides a capability to filter artifacts based onspecified conditions using a set of artifact attributes as in artifactattributes 212 to create entirely new views rather than perform arollback to a previous version. The filters provide a capability toconditionally process view content 204 and view metadata 206 to build aview rather than simply select a previously created view.

With reference to FIG. 3, a flowchart of a multi-user view process usedwithin the multi-user view system of FIG. 2, in accordance with variousembodiments of the disclosure is presented. Process 300 is an example ofa view selection and navigation process as used within multi-user viewer202 of multi-user view system 200 of FIG. 2.

Process 300 starts (block 302) and receives a previously savedmulti-user view (block 304). The saved multi-user view has an associatedset of artifact attributes stored in a respective artifact historyrepository. Process 300 prompts a user from a set of users to identify afilter from a set of filters (block 306). The filters provide aselection of conditional processing options to be applied to the storedhistorical information associated with the saved view.

Process 300 receives an identified filter from the user (block 308). Theidentified filter is applied to the previously saved multi-user view tobuild a filtered view (block 310). Process 300 presents the filteredview to the user (block 312).

Process 300 determines whether to amend the filtered view (block 314).For example, a filtered view may be presented and the user moves a timeslider to a different point in the view history. When a determination ismade to amend the filtered view, a “yes” result is obtained. When adetermination is made to not amend the filtered view, a “no” result isobtained. When a “yes” is obtained in block 314, an amended view isgenerated from the filtered view (block 318).

When a “no” result is obtained in block 314, a determination of whetherto save the filtered view is performed (block 316). When a determinationis made to save the filtered view, a “yes” result is obtained in block316. When a determination is made to not save the filtered view, a “no”result is obtained in block 316. When a “no” result is obtained in block316, process 300 terminates (block 328).

When a “yes” result is obtained in block 316 process 300 determineswhether to save the view as a new view (block 320). The determination ofblock 320 is also made after block 318. When a determination is made tosave the view as a new view, a “yes” result is obtained in block 320.When a determination is made to not save the view as a new view, a “no”result is obtained in block 320.

When a “yes” result is obtained in block 320, process 300 saves the newview (block 322) and terminates thereafter (block 328). When a “no”result is obtained in block 320, a determination of whether to save theview as an updated view is performed (block 324). When a determinationis made to save the view as an updated view, a “yes” result is obtainedin block 324. When a determination is made to not save the view as anupdated view, a “no” result is obtained in block 324.

When a “yes” result is obtained in block 324, process 300 saves theupdated view (block 326) and terminates thereafter (block 328). When a“no” result is obtained in block 324, process 300 terminates thereafter(block 328).

With reference to FIG. 4, a flowchart of a multi-user view amendmentprocess used in the multi-user view process of FIG. 3, in accordancewith various embodiments of the disclosure is presented. Process 400 isan example of an amendment process used to generate an amended view froma filtered view as in block 318 of FIG. 3.

Process 400 starts (block 402) and determines whether amendment of amulti-user view is permitted (block 404). A multi-user view or a portionof a multi-user view may be locked to prevent unauthorized or unintendedchange, or a specific user or user type may not be permitted to update aview or be presented with the view. As stated previously, security 216of FIG. 2 is used to control access to or permit update to a view.

When a determination is made that amendment of a multi-user view ispermitted, a “yes” result is obtained in block 404. When a determinationis made that amendment of a multi-user view is not permitted, a “no”result is obtained in block 404. When a “no” result is obtained, process400 indicates an error (block 416) and terminates thereafter (block418).

When a “yes” result is obtained, process 400 determines whether anamendment is an addition or a change (block 406). When a determinationis made that an amendment is an addition or a change, a “yes” result isobtained. When a determination is made that an amendment is not anaddition, a “no” result is obtained. When a “yes” is obtained, process400 receives new view content (block 408). The process receives newmetadata (block 410). Process 400 determines whether there are viewartifact dependency conflicts (block 412). View artifact conflicts occurwhen additions or deletions associated with a view change the sequenceof gestures or operations performed on the view content or metadata. Aconflict arises when a specific sequence of operations changes. Forexample, a chain of events has occurred and an update is being made thatalters the chain. When a new event is added or changed, a conflict mayarise due to a specified sequence or a dependency associated with theimpacted event. In another example, when a block of actions is deleted,other actions or blocks of actions may be dependent on the deleted blockleading to a conflict. The stored artifact history repository includestime based, user based and context based information to help withconflict resolution.

Returning to block 406, when a “no” result is obtained, process 400determines whether an amendment is a deletion (block 414). When adetermination is made that an amendment is a deletion, a “yes” result isobtained. When a determination is made that an amendment is not adeletion, a “no” result is obtained. When a “no” result is obtained,process 400 indicates an error (block 416) and terminates thereafter(block 418). When a “yes” result is obtained, process 400 performs block412 as previously stated.

When a determination is made that there are view artifact dependencyconflicts, a “yes” result occurs in block 412. When a determination ismade that there are no view artifact dependency conflicts, a “no” resultoccurs in block 412. When a “no” result is obtained in block 412,process 400 generates the amended view (block 422) and terminatesthereafter (block 418). When a “yes” result is obtained in block 412,process 400 determines whether the view artifact dependency conflictsare resolved (block 420). Conflicts may be resolved through analysis ofthe artifact attributes and the specific artifact or operations beingprocessed. For example, a conflict may be determined when a sequence ofoperations is being deleted, but dependent sequences are deleted thatwould otherwise cause a conflict are removed.

When a “yes” result is obtained in block 420, process 400 generates theamended view (block 422) and terminates thereafter (block 418). When a“no” result is obtained in block 420, process 400 indicates an error(block 416) and terminates thereafter (block 418).

Illustrative embodiments thus provide a computer-implemented process, acomputer program product and an apparatus for navigation throughhistorical stored interactions associated with a multi-user view thatreceives a previously saved multi-user view, wherein the multi-user viewcomprises a set of artifact attributes, receives an identified filterfrom a user, and presents a filtered view to the user. The processfurther determines whether to amend the filtered view, and responsive toa determination to amend the filtered view, generates an amended viewfrom the filtered view, and responsive to a determination to save theamended view, saves the amended view as one of a new view or an updatedview.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portionof code, which comprises one or more executable instructions forimplementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that,in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in theflowchart illustrations might occur out of the order noted in thefigures. For example, two processes shown in succession may, in fact, beexecuted substantially concurrently, or the processes may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionalityinvolved. It will also be noted that each process of the block diagramsand/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of processes in theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented byspecial purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

The invention can take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, anentirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardwareand software elements. In a preferred embodiment, the invention isimplemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware,resident software, microcode, and other software media that may berecognized by one skilled in the art.

It is important to note that while the present invention has beendescribed in the context of a fully functioning data processing system,those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes ofthe present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of acomputer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and thatthe present invention applies equally regardless of the particular typeof signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution.Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media, suchas a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, andtransmission-type media, such as digital and analog communicationslinks, wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms,such as, for example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. Thecomputer readable media may take the form of coded formats that aredecoded for actual use in a particular data processing system.

A data processing system suitable for storing and/or executing programcode will include at least one processor coupled directly or indirectlyto memory elements through a system bus. The memory elements can includelocal memory employed during actual execution of the program code, bulkstorage, and cache memories which provide temporary storage of at leastsome program code in order to reduce the number of times code must beretrieved from bulk storage during execution.

Input/output or I/O devices (including but not limited to keyboards,displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system eitherdirectly or through intervening I/O controllers.

Network adapters may also be coupled to the system to enable the dataprocessing system to become coupled to other data processing systems orremote printers or storage devices through intervening private or publicnetworks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are just a few of thecurrently available types of network adapters.

1. A computer-implemented process for navigation through historicalstored interactions associated with a multi-user view, thecomputer-implemented process comprising: receiving a previously savedmulti-user view, wherein the multi-user view comprises a set of artifactattributes; receiving an identified filter from a user; presenting afiltered view to the user; determining whether to amend the filteredview; responsive to a determination to amend the filtered view,generating an amended view from the filtered view; and responsive to adetermination to save the amended view, saving the amended view as oneof a new view or an updated view.
 2. The computer-implemented process ofclaim 1, wherein receiving an identified filter from a user furthercomprises prompting a user from a set of users to identify a filter froma set of filters, wherein the set of filters further comprising timebased filters, user based filters, object based filters, context basedfilters and type based filters.
 3. The computer-implemented process ofclaim 1, wherein presenting a filtered view to the user furthercomprises applying the identified filter to the previously savedmulti-user view to build the filtered view.
 4. The computer-implementedprocess of claim 1, wherein generating an amended view from the filteredview further comprises: determining whether an amendment of themulti-user view is permitted; responsive to a determination that anamendment of the multi-user view is permitted, determining whether theamendment is an addition or a change; and responsive to a determinationthat the amendment is an addition or a change, receiving new viewcontent and new view metadata.
 5. The computer-implemented process ofclaim 1, wherein generating an amended view from the filtered viewfurther comprises: determining whether there are view artifactdependency conflicts; responsive to a determination that there are viewartifact dependency conflicts, determining whether the view artifactdependency conflicts are resolved; and responsive to a determinationthat the view artifact dependency conflicts are resolved, generating theamended view.
 6. The computer-implemented process of claim 4, wherein:responsive to a determination that the amendment is not an addition,determining whether the amendment is a deletion; responsive to adetermination that the amendment is a deletion, determining whetherthere are view artifact dependency conflicts; and responsive to adetermination that the amendment is not a deletion, indicating an error.7. The computer-implemented process of claim 1, wherein saving theamended view as one of a new view or an updated view further comprises:determining whether to save the view as a new view; responsive to adetermination to save the view as a new view, saving the new view;responsive to as determination to not save the view as a new view,determining whether to save the view as updated view; and responsive toas determination to save the view as an updated view, saving the updatedview.
 8. A computer program product for navigation through historicalstored interactions associated with a multi-user view, the computerprogram product comprising: a computer recordable-type storage mediacontaining computer executable program code stored thereon, the computerexecutable program code comprising: computer executable program code forreceiving a previously saved multi-user view, wherein the multi-userview comprises a set of artifact attributes; computer executable programcode for receiving an identified filter from a user; computer executableprogram code for presenting a filtered view to the user; computerexecutable program code for determining whether to amend the filteredview; computer executable program code responsive to a determination toamend the filtered view, for generating an amended view from thefiltered view; and computer executable program code responsive to adetermination to save the amended view, for saving the amended view asone of a new view or an updated view.
 9. The computer program product ofclaim 8, wherein computer executable program code for receiving anidentified filter from a user further comprises computer executableprogram code for prompting the user from a set of users to identify afilter from a set of filters, wherein the set of filters furthercomprising time based filters, user based filters, object based filters,context based filters and type based filters.
 10. The computer programproduct of claim 8, wherein computer executable program code forpresenting a filtered view to the user further comprises computerexecutable program code for applying the identified filter to thepreviously saved multi-user view to build the filtered view.
 11. Thecomputer program product of claim 8, wherein computer executable programcode for generating an amended view from the filtered view furthercomprises: computer executable program code for determining whether anamendment of the multi-user view is permitted; computer executableprogram code responsive to a determination that an amendment of themulti-user view is permitted, for determining whether the amendment isan addition or a change; and computer executable program code responsiveto a determination that the amendment is an addition or a change, forreceiving new view content and new view metadata.
 12. The computerprogram product of claim 8, wherein computer executable program code forgenerating an amended view from the filtered view further comprisescomputer executable program code for determining whether there are viewartifact dependency conflicts; computer executable program coderesponsive to a determination that there are view artifact dependencyconflicts, for determining whether the view artifact dependencyconflicts are resolved; and computer executable program code responsiveto a determination that the view artifact dependency conflicts areresolved, for generating the amended view.
 13. The computer programproduct of claim 11, wherein computer executable program code responsiveto a determination that the amendment is not an addition, fordetermining whether the amendment is a deletion further comprises;computer executable program code responsive to a determination that theamendment is a deletion, for determining whether there are view artifactdependency conflicts; and computer executable program code responsive toa determination that the amendment is not a deletion, for indicating anerror.
 14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein computerexecutable program code for saving the amended view as one of a new viewor an updated view further comprises: computer executable program codefor determining whether to save the view as a new view; computerexecutable program code responsive to a determination to save the viewas a new view, for saving the new view; computer executable program coderesponsive to as determination to not save the view as a new view, fordetermining whether to save the view as updated view; computerexecutable program code responsive to as determination to save the viewas an updated view, for saving the updated view.
 15. An apparatus fornavigation through historical stored interactions associated with amulti-user view, the apparatus comprising: a communications fabric; amemory connected to the communications fabric, wherein the memorycontains computer executable program code; and a processor unitconnected to the communications fabric, wherein the processor unitexecutes the computer executable program code to direct the apparatusto: receive a previously saved multi-user view, wherein the multi-userview comprises a set of artifact attributes; receive an identifiedfilter from a user; present a filtered view to the user; determinewhether to amend the filtered view; responsive to a determination toamend the filtered view, generate an amended view from the filteredview; and responsive to a determination to save the amended view, savethe amended view as one of a new view or an updated view.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor unit executes the computerexecutable program code to receive an identified filter from a user tofurther direct the apparatus to prompt the user from a set of users toidentify a filter from a set of filters, wherein the set of filtersfurther comprising time based filters, user based filters, object basedfilters, context based filters and type based filters.
 17. The apparatusof claim 15, wherein the processor unit executes the computer executableprogram code to present a filtered view to the user to further directthe apparatus to apply the identified filter to the previously savedmulti-user view to build the filtered view.
 18. The apparatus of claim15, wherein the processor unit executes the computer executable programcode to generate an amended view from the filtered view to furtherdirect the apparatus to: determine whether an amendment of themulti-user view is permitted; responsive to a determination that anamendment of the multi-user view is permitted, determine whether theamendment is an addition or a change; and responsive to a determinationthat the amendment is an addition or a change, receive new view contentand new view metadata.
 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein theprocessor unit executes the computer executable program code to generatean amended view from the filtered view to further direct the apparatusto: determine whether there are view artifact dependency conflicts;responsive to a determination that there are view artifact dependencyconflicts, determine whether the view artifact dependency conflicts areresolved; and responsive to a determination that the view artifactdependency conflicts are resolved, generate the amended view.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor unit executes the computerexecutable program code to save the amended view as one of a new view oran updated view to further direct the apparatus to: determine whether tosave the view as a new view; responsive to a determination to save theview as a new view, save the new view; responsive to as determination tonot save the view as a new view, determine whether to save the view asupdated view; and responsive to as determination to save the view as anupdated view, save the updated view.